THE ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. S29 



or poisonous herbs. Dioscorides and otliers say, that 

 V. hosoever shall take of the herb or root before they be 

 bi(ten, shall not be hurt by the poison of any serpent. 

 The root or seed is thought to be most efTeiftiial to com- 

 fort the heart, and expel sadness, or causeless melancholy; 

 it tempers the blood, and aliayeth hot fits of agues. The 

 seed drank in wine, procureth abundance of milk in 

 women's breasts. The same also being taken easeth the 

 pains in the loins, back and kidnies. The distilled water 

 of the herb, w hen it is in ilower, or its chief strength, is 

 excellent to be applied inwardly or outwardly, for all the 

 griefs aforesaid. There is a syrup made hereof very 

 effectual for the comforting the heart, and expelling sad. 

 iiess and melancholy. 



Wall-Flowers, ov Winter-Gilliflowers. J. (temp.) 



The garden kind are so well known, that they need no 

 description, and the wild vary little from them. 



P/ace.] It groweth upon chnrch-walls and old walls of 

 many houses, and other stonc-walis in divers places. 



7Vwe.] All the single kinds do flower many times in 

 the end of Autumn; and if the Vv'inter be mild, all the 

 Winter long, but especially in the months of February, 

 March and April, until the heat of the S[)ringdo spend 

 them. But the double kinds continue not flowering iu that 

 manner all the year long, although they flower very early 

 sometimes, and in some places very late. 



Go'cerninent and Virtues.^ The JNIoon rules them. 

 Galen in his seventh book of simple medicine;, saith, that 

 yellow Wall-Flowers >vork more powerfully than any of 

 the other kind, and are therefore of more use in physic. 

 It cleanseth the blood, and freeth the liver and reins from 

 obstructions, provoketh women's courses, expelleth the 

 secnndine, and the dead child; helpeth the hardness and 

 pains of the mother, and of the spleen also; stayeth 

 inflammations and swellings, comforteth and strengtheneth 

 any weak part, or out of joint; helpeth to cleanse the 

 eyes from mistiness and films on them, and to cleanse the 

 filthy ulcers in the mouth, or any other part, and is a 



